Supporting mechanism for surgical operating lights



Nov. 20, 1962 N. E. LAUTERBACH 3,

PERATING LIGHTS SUPPORTING MECHANISM FOR SURGICAL 0 Filed Feb. 16. 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. NORMA/V E. LAUTERBAG/l ITTORNEY 1952 N. E. LAUTERBACH 3,065,332

a LIGHTS SUPPORTING MECHANISM FOR SURGICAL OPERATIN Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 a? \Q my Q mm\ M? m9 INVENTOR. NORMAN E LAUTERBACl-l ATTORNEY Q ask:

' III/IIII N: NE QNx N. E. LAUTERBACH v 3,065,332

OPERATING LIGHTS Nov. 20, 1962 SUPPORTING MECHANISM FOR SURGICAL Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. NORMA/V E LAUZ'ERBAGH ATTORNEY Fla. 5

1962 N. E LAUTERBACH 3,065,332 URGICAL OPERATING LIGHTS SUPPORTING MECHANISM FOR S Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IT: IT

INVENTOR. NORMA/V E LAUTERBAGH AII'IDIPIVE) atent 3,065,332 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 thee aware Filed Feb. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 793,584 6 Claims. (Cl. 240-14) This invention relates to surgical lights and is more particularly concerned with an adjustable supporting means for surgical lights for manually adjusting the position of the light field and for directing the light.

One object of this invention is to provide a surgical light which is versatile in its operation so as to be readily adjustable to direct the light beam as desired by the surgeon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical light which is substantially universally adjustable both by means of controls located outside of the sterile field and by means of a removable sterilizable handle extending along the axis of the light source.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for tilting the light source about an axis perpendicular to its supporting arm to direct the light in accordance with the necessities of the particular operation being performed by the surgeon.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable support for a surgical light having all electrical wiring and control mechanism concealed in the supporting members.

More specifically, this invention contemplates an adjustable surgical light mounted on a half or partial yoke on the end of a movable arm, with mechanism in the arm permitting pivotal adjustment of the light on the yoke in order to control both the position and direction of the light rays in order to provide optimum illumination in accordance with the requirements of the particular operation being performed by the surgeon.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a movable surgical light having compact, adjustable supporting means which allows several lights to be used in the area above an operating table withoutinterference with each other.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the claims and will be apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

HO. 1 is an external side elevational view of the surgical light of this invention in which only part of the reflector has been shown;

16. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, in the direction indicated by the arrows, only part of the reflector having been shown;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional View taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

MG. 4 is a top plan cross-sectional view of the counterbalancing mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, of the partial yoke attached to a surgical light;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a section of rail assembly;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a section of rail assembly and the carriage assembly;

HS. 8 is a fragmentary end elevational view, partly in section, showing the rail assembly and the carriage assembly;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the inner portion of the rotary conducting member;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the outer portion of the rotary conducting member; and

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a tion above an operating table.

The surgical light of this invention is employed directly over the operating table and, although it may be mounted in fixed position, is preferably adjustably mounted on a rail assembly, designated generally by the numeral 3L1 (PEG. 1). The rail assembly carries a counterbalanced adjustable supporting means generally indicated by the numeral 12, and a partial yoke, generally indicated by the numeral 13, which in turn carries a reflector and light assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 14.

The reflector and light assembly 14 has been described in detail in a co-pending application filed on September 4, 1958, Serial No. 758,938. The present application is primarily concerned with the mounting means, including rail assembly ll, adjustable arm 12 and the partial yoke 13.

Rail assembly 11 includes a pair of spaced parallel fixed channel members (FIGS. 6 to 8) which are preferably mounted on the operating room ceiling above the operating table. Channel members 20 are held in spaced relationship by means of an upper plate 22 extending between the upper flanges of members 20. Channels 20 are adapted to act as tracks for supporting and guiding a movable carriage shown generally at 24 (FIG. 7) which in turn supports the operating light.

Carriage 24 comprises a generally U-shaped plate member 26 (FIGS. 7 and 8) having two edges bent upward to form flanges 28. Flanges 23 are provided with six laterally extending threaded axles 39 carrying rollers 32 which are adapted to ride in channels .20. The center pair of rollers 32 are positioned some-What above the outer pairs, and engage plate 22 for preventing vertical play of the carriage. Axles are preferably held in pair of lights in posiplace by means of nuts 34.

Plate member 26 carries a centrally located upwardly extending member 36 having a pair of transverse axles 38 each of which carries a pair of rollers 4t Rollers 49 are each adapted to roll in one of a pair of longitudinally extending channel-shaped members 42 which are fastened to plate 22. Each member 42 carries an insulating strip 43 which supports a conducting bus bar 45 connected to one wire of an electrical cable 44 as shown at 46 and 48 in FIG. 6 for supplying current to the operating lamp as hereinafter described.

Member 36 is provided with an electrical pickup device comprising an insulating block 50 (FIG. 7) contain ing a pair of outwardly extending, spring-loaded electrical contact members 52 each of which is held in resilient contact with a conducting bus bar 45 by suitable spring means (not shown). Each contact member 52 is connected to one downwardly extending insulated wire 54 and 56 which lead to a rotary connecting member 58 which will hereinafter be described.

A pair of inwardly extending sheet metal flanges 59 extend the length of the rail assembly. The upper portion of supporting means 12 is provided with a bowl: shaped guard 61 having its upper edges in close proximity to flanges 59. These parts are provided to pre vent dislodged dust from falling from rail assembly 11 to contaminate the sterile operating field. Flanges 59 enclose the greater part of the underside of the rail as sembly, leaving only the narrow opening necessary for the passage of the parts supporting the operating light. Guard 61 serves to catch any dust which filters through this opening as the light is moved along the track. As an additional precaution, felt wipers (not shown) may be 1 provided to slide along channels 29 ahead. of carriage 26 to continuously wipe the channels free of dust.

Rotary connecting member 58 comprises a male conducting member shown generally at in FIG. 9 which O is rigidly fastened to plate 26 and a mating female conducting member shown generally at 62 (FIG. is positioned in a tubular member 63 forming part of supporting means 12. Male conducting member 60 comprises a central metallic rod 64 surrounded by insulating sleeve 66 which in turn is surrounded by a conducting tube 68. Tube 68 is surrounded by an outer insulating sleeve 70. Rod 64 is electrically connected to wire 56, while metallic tube 68 is electrically connected to wire 54.

Rod 64 is provided with a pair of resilient downwardly extending tines 72 which terminate in enlarged rounded portions 74. Conducting sleeve 66 is provided with a plurality of generally U-shaped resilient spring contact members 76.

Female conducting member 62 (FIG. 10) comprises an outer tubular casing 78 formed of hard rubber plastic or other suitable insulating material. Casing 78 contains a tubular metallic conducting member 80 which surrounds a tubular insulating sleeve 82. Sleeve 82 contains a second tubular conducting member 84. Conducting member 80 is electrically connected to one wire 86 of an electrical cable 88, and tubular conducting member 84 is connected 'to the other wire 90 of this cable.

When rotary conducting member 58 is assembled, male conducting member 60 is positioned inside female conducting'mem'ber 62. In this position, the rounded portions 74 of tines 72 are resiliently pressed against tubular conducting member 84 forming a rotatable electric contact therebetween. At the same time, spring contact members 76 are resiliently pressed against tubular conducting member 80 forming electrical contact therebetween. Current is thus free to flow from wire 54 through sleeve 68, contacts 76, and member 80 to wire 86 and from wire 56 through rod 64 to tines 72 and thence through tubular conducting member 84 to wire 90'.

Tubular member 63 is rotatably fastened to carriage 24 by means of downwardly depending members 92 (FIG. 7) having a thrust bearing 96 which is attached to the upper end of member 63. Tubular member 63 comprises two telescoping parts, an upper member 97 (FIG. 3) and a mating lower section 98. Member 98 is held in position in member 97 by means of a transversely extending pin 100. Pin 100 is removable to allow member 98 to slide out of member 96, thereby allowing removal of the entire light assembly from the overhead track assembly for maintenance and repair when desired. In order to facilitate this removal, cable 88 is provided with a separable electrical plug connector 102 so that the electrical connections can be broken to allow the removal of the light'as described above.

The lower end of section 98 of member '63 is provided with a pair of vertically spaced pivots 103 and 104. Pivot 103 is connected to one end of the spring counterbalancing mechanism, hereinafter described, while pivot 104 is connected to a bearing block 106 in an arm 108.

Arm 108 comprises a tubular body portion 110 which has been received into suitable openings in a pair of end members 112 and 114, respectively and retained therein by set screw-s 117 (FIG. 1). Tubular body 110 is rotatably mounted in arm 108. Thus, it will be understood that the tubular body 110, members 112 and 114, and all parts carried by those membersare rotatable about the horizontal axis of tubular body 110 for selective adjustment of the light 14. Member 112 preferably comprises a metallic casting having a cavity 116 for the reception of an electrical switch 118, a second cavity 120, whose purpose will be hereinafter described, and a downwardly depending handle portion 122. End member 114 preferably comprises a second metallic casting containing a cavity- 124 Whose purpose will also be hereinafter described, and means for receiving the hollow partial yoke 13. Yoke 13 comprises a hollow body portion 126 having means on one end for rotatably supporting a pivot 128 forming part of a bracket 130 which supports light 14.

'Means are provided for rotatably adjusting light 14 about pivot 128. These means preferably comprise a shaft 132 (FIG. 3) extending axially through body portion and journaled in members 112 and 114 respectively. Shaft 132 is provided with a pulley 134 (FIG. 5) located in cavity 124. Pulley 134 carries a flexible cable 136 which passes through hollow body portion 126 and runs over the surface of pivot 128. Cable 136 is preferably attached to the surface of pulley 134 and pivot 128 at one or more points by means of screws 138 to prevent slippage of the cable over these surfaces to provide for a positive transfer of the motion of pulley 134 to pivot 128. Cable 136 is preferably enclosed in tubes of nylon or similar anti-friction plastic material 140 in order to provide smooth sliding action of the cable as it passes around the curved surface of partial yoke 13.

Shaft 132 in body 110 is driven by means of a pair of bevel gears 142 and 144 (FIG. 3) located in cavity 120 in member 112. Gear 144 is mounted on one end of a short shaft 146 which extends downwardly through handle 122, and terminates in a knob 148. Thus manipulation of knob 148 causes rotation of shaft 146 which is transferred to shaft 132 by means of bevel gears 142 and 144; this motion is transmitted from shaft 132 to pivot 128 by means of cable 136 running over pulley 134. This permits rotational adjustment of the light 14 by a nurse located outside the sterile field by the manipulation of knob 148. However, the motion train consisting of the bevel gears, shaft and pulleys described above is reversible, so the position of the light may also be adjusted by the surgeon by simply grasping a sterile handle which is attached to the light for this purpose for direct adjustment of the light. This handle, and its mode of operation are more fully explained in co-pending application Serial No. 758,938, referred to above.

The height of the light above the operating table may be adjusted by pivoting arm 108 about pivot 104 on vertical member 63. The weight of the light and arm 108 are counterbalanced by means of a counterbalancing mechanism which applies a vertical component force to the end of arm 108. This counterbalancing mechanism comprises a rod 152 pivotally mounted on pivot 103 described above. The outer end of rod 152 is threaded as shown at 154 for receiving an adjusting collar 156. A pair of arms 158 are pivotally attached to a transverse pivot 160 attached to body portion 110 adjacent end member 114 as shown. Arms 158 terminate in a spring cup 162 which surrounds rod 152. A coil spring 164 is positioned around rod 152, between spring cup 162 and collar 156. A link 166 is pivotallyconnected between pivots 104 and 160 to withstand the thrust caused by spring 164.

Downward pivotalmovement of arm 108 moves pivot 160 away from pivot 183. This longitudinal movement of pivot 160 causes arms 158 to move spring cup 162 towards the right as viewed in FIG. 3, compressing spring 164 between the cup and collar 156. This compression of spring 164 serves to oppose the downward pivotal movement of arm 108, and counterbalance the weight of the arm and the attached'surgical light. The positions of pivots 103, 104, and 160 are so placed that the counterbalancing effect of spring 164 is substantially equal to the downward force caused by the weight of the light and the attached arm. The friction of the pivots is therefore sufiicient to cause the light to remain stationary in any position in which it is set. Collar 156 may be longitudinally adjusted on rod 152 in order to adjust the force of the spring to accurately counterbalance the weight of the light.

A smoothly rounded dust cover 168 is provided for enclosing spring 164 and its associated parts. Cover 168 is shaped to blend smoothly into body portion 110 in order to make arm 108 a single smooth unit which may easily be maintained in a sanitary, dust free condition.

The electrical connections to the light are completed from cable 44 (FIG. 6) throughbus bars 45,.and contact fnembers 52 to wires 54 and 56. The current then passes through rotary connecting member 58 to cable 88, switch 118, and thence through the cable to the light. It is to be noted that all these electrical parts are totally enclosed within rail assembly 11, supporting means 12, and yoke 13.

From the above description it may be seen that the surgical light supporting mechanism described above permits universal adjustment of the position of the light to suit the requirements of any operation. The position of the light may be longitudinally adjusted above the operating table by sliding carriage 24 longitudinally in the tracks defined by channels 20; the transverse position of the light may be adjusted by pivoting arm 108 upwardly or downwardly about pivot 104, and the direction of the rays from the light may be adjusted by pivotally adjusting the light around pivot 128. All these adjustments may be made by a nurse outside of the sterile field of the operation by manipulation of handle 122 and knob 148 on the end thereof, or these adjustments may be made by the surgeon to suit his own convenience by means of the sterile handle attached to the light proper as described in the above mentioned co-pending application. All portions of the light are either balanced by being supported at a line which passes through their center of gravity as for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2 where the reflector and light assembly 14 is shown off-center with respect to the longitudinal axis of arm 108 (FIG. 3) and tubular body 110 (FIG. 3), or are counterbalanced by means of the spring counterbalancing mechanism so that the light will remain in adjusted position without further locking means. These adjustments may be made without any danger of interrupting the flow of electricity to the light proper, since current is supplied either through sliding contacts in the carriage, or rotational contacts in vertical member 63. The electrical supply wires and contacts are completely enclosed in the supporting mechanism so that no external wiring is in evidence anywhere on the light. All working parts of the light are completely enclosed so that only smooth easily cleaned surfaces are presented. This greatly decreases the danger of contaminating the sterile operating field by dust since no working parts are exposed, and the smooth outer surface may be easily cleaned and dusted prior to the operation.

The use of the partial or half yoke permits a pair of lights to be placed in close proximity above an operating table as shown in FIG. 11, with the yokes on the outer sides of each light. This permits two lights to be placed directly over the field of the operation, should this be desirable, in order to provide intense illumination as required by the surgeon. It has been found particularly desirable, for example, to focus one light to direct a high intensity spot directly on the operating area, and to focus the other light to provide a larger area of less intense illumination surrounding the site of the operation. This arrangement has been found to decrease the strain on the surgeons eyes, while providing the intense illumination required for complicated surgery.

While there has been shown and described the preferred forms of mechanisms of the invention, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein, particularly in the form and relation of parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Adjustable supporting means for surgical lights, comprising, in combination, a vertical supporting member, a hollow horizontal supporting member pivotally attached to said vertical supporting member, a hollow substantially quadrantal partial yoke carried by said horizontal member, pivot means intermediate said partial yoke and a surgical light, said pivot means supporting said surgical light on said partial yoke, control means extending through said horizontal member and partial yoke to said pivot means 6 for controlling pivotal action of said surgical light relative to said partial yoke, and counterbalancing means attached to said horizontal member for counterbalancing the Weight of said light and partial yoke whereby said light will remain in a selected adjusted position.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a tubular member extending through said horizontal supporting member and rotatable relative thereto for rotating the surgical light, and in which said counterbalancing means includes yielding biasing means pivotally mounted at one end to said hollow horizontal supporting member and at the other end to said vertical member for counterbalancing the vertical component force on said hollow horizontal supporting member.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which said yielding biasing means comprises a rod pivotally connected to said vertical supporting member, connection means pivotally connected to said hollow horizontal supporting member, and resilient means between said rod and said connection means for counterbalancing a vertical component force on said horizontal supporting member.

4. Adjustable supporting means for surgical lights comprising, in combination, a vertical supporting member, a hollow tubular member, support means connecting said members for pivotal movement of said tubular member about a horizontal axis and rotational movement of said tubular member about its longitudinal axis, a hollow substantially quadrantal partial yoke rigidly attached to said tubular member, pivot means intermediate said partial yoke and a surgical light, said pivot means supporting said surgical light on said partial yoke, control means extending through said tubular member and partial yoke to said pivot means for controlling pivotal action of said surgical light relative to said partial yoke, and counterbalancing means attached to said support means for counterbalancing the weight of said light and partial yoke whereby said light will remain in adjusted position.

5. Adjustable supporting means for surgical lights, comprising, in combination, a vertical supporting member, a hollow tubular member, support means connecting said members for pivotal movement of said tubular member about a horizontal axis and rotational movement of said tubular member about its longitudinal axis, a hollow substantially quadrantal partial yoke having a first end rigidly attached to said tubular member, pivot means intermediate a second end of said partial yoke and a surgical light, said pivot means supporting said surgical light on said partial yoke, said surgical light being off-center with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member on the opposite side of said axis from said partial yoke in weight counterbalanced relationship with said partial yoke about the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, control means extending through said tubular member and partial yoke to said pivot means for remotely controlling pivotal action of said surgical light, and counterbalancing means attached to said support means for counterbalancing the vertical component force on said support means, whereby said light will remain in adjusted position.

6. Adjustable supporting means for a surgical light, comprising, in combination, a vertical supporting member, a hollow horizontal supporting member pivotally attached to said vertical supporting member, a hollow substantially quadrantal shaped partial yoke supported at a first end of said horizontal member, pivot means intermediate said partial yoke and a surgical light, said pivot means supporting said surgical light on said partial yoke, shaft means extending through said hollow horizontal member, flexible positive transmitting means attached to said shaft means for transmitting direct and positive motion from said shaft means to said pivot, said flexible transmitting means extending through said hollow partial yoke to said pivot, said light being adjusted on said pivot by force transmitted through said shaft, and counterbalancing means attached to said horizontal member for counterbalancing the weight of said light and partial yoke.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Archer et a1. Apr. 29, 1919 Nirdlinger Aug. 17, 1926 Veale Oct. 6, 1931 Pieper June 28, 1933 Truswell Nov. 5, 1935 Larson Nov. 30, 1948 Ries et a1 Ian. 10, 1950 8 Larkin Mar. 30, 1954 Cialoni July 3, 1956 Jewell July 9, 1957 Price Feb. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Mar. 26, 1930 Germany Jan. 19, 1953 Germany Sept. 25, 1958 

